August 18, 2023
NEW! A Note from Ms. Trena:
Dear REMS Families,
In the past few weeks we have collectively been focusing on building and strengthening our school community. I have seen countless acts of a thriving community just this week alone, including, our virtual parent volunteer training, belay training, community reading in Kindergarten, parents volunteers for our school carnival, team building with Mr. Cody K., listening conferences, and the amazing turnout that we had Friday night at the carnival! We are certainly living into our core values as Crew!
We know that humans thrive on connection and feeling valued as members of a close knit community. At REMS, it is our goal to promote a strong community that thrives through inclusion, respect, stewardship, and empathy. Our children thrive in strong communities where they have a deep sense of belonging. Strong communities retain teachers and staff because they feel supported and valued. Parents feel that they have a voice in their children's educational journey when they are invited to be a contributing member.
As we approach the next few months, I encourage everyone to think about how our individual contributions can create a collective movement to enhance our Crew. We CAN foster the environment in which we want our children, staff, and larger community to flourish. Thank you for your continued partnership in growing our crew.
"We are social beings, and we need each other to thrive. A strong, healthy community can bolster us through the challenging moments and bring joy to our lives. When we build community, we can build empathy for each other." - Elena Aguilar, Onward
Bond/Mill Levy Override:
On August 8, the Douglas County School District Board of Education unanimously voted 7-0 to place a $66 million Mill Levy Override (MLO) and $484 million Bond on the November 2023 ballot.
If passed by voters, these new funds would be used at REMS to:
Increase teacher and staff pay
Enhance safety and security systems
Refresh student and staff technology
Make much needed repairs and upgrades to our building
Install new intercom system
Seal exterior walls
Replace restroom wash areas
Our teachers in the Douglas County School District earn, on average, $18,000 less compared to a neighboring school district. Additional MLO funding, if passed by voters, would help the school district provide teachers and staff, including the amazing staff at our school, a competitive salary.
DCSD teachers, on average, would receive a 9% pay increase, as reflected in these salary schedules
Classified staff members, such as bus drivers, educational assistants, custodians, etc., would receive a 9% pay increase
Other staff, including school principals and administrators, would receive a 6% pay increase
A $484 million Bond, if passed by voters, would help DCSD construct three new neighborhood elementary schools in quickly growing neighborhoods (The Canyons in Castle Pines, Crystal Valley Ranch in Castle Rock, and Sterling Ranch in Highlands Ranch). It would also provide for building expansions at Mesa Middle School in Castle Rock and Sierra Middle School in Parker to help reduce crowding and plan for growth. The Bond would also assist DCSD in implementing safety and security upgrades, and updating and repairing its existing school buildings (including ours), to provide safe, efficient, quality learning environments for students and staff.
If the MLO and Bond are approved by voters, Douglas County homeowners will pay $1 per week per $100,000 of home value. For example, a Douglas County resident with a home valued at $500,000 would pay approximately $250 more per year if both measures are approved.
You can read more about Douglas County School District’s funding challenges on the DCSD Website . Thank you for continuing to be an engaged and informed member of our school community!
NEW! News from our Crews:
Mr. Cody was here this week leading our crews through team building exercises. This is a great opportunity for crews to bond and build their resiliency before attending Fall voyages.
FINANCIAL UPDATE from the Parent Crew Foundation:
From your contributions, your Parent Crew Foundation and School Accountability Committees were able to provide:
- REMS sweatshirts for staff and lunch from Jason's Deli to kickoff the school year
- Awards of over $4,500 in staff grants for curriculum enhancements , headphones for all classrooms, enhancements to class libraries, and repairs on belay equipment in the gym.
- Over $2,000 in enrollment scholarships to our families.
Track It Forward - NEW & IMPROVED
We are excited to unveil our improved Volunteer portal. While we are still using Track-It-Forward, we now have features that will make it easy to sort through volunteer opportunities, and make it easier to track hours - use the app or website or the NEW VOLUNTEER KIOSK located at the main office!
We are asking for every family to register and create an account.
*Please note: even if you have a previous account, it is necessary for you to re-register your account. This happens every year, as we begin each new school year.
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Crew Wear Store
Get ready to show off your Renaissance spirit with our Crew Wear! Our first order this school year will be open this August 4-21, with many great styles including t-shirts and hoodies, sized for the whole family. Order here.
RAD Save the Date: October 6th
STUDENT SHIRT SIZES NEEDED
Our community partners and sponsors will cover the RAD celebration shirt cost, we just need your student's t-shirt size by THIS SUNDAY 8/20!
- EVENT SPONSORS NEEDED
Did you know that YOUR company can be a sponsor for our upcoming Renaissance Adventure Day? We are in the process of organizing sponsorships and would like to extend the opportunity to your company to be a sponsor. If you are unsure if your company can participate, we encourage you to reach out to your HR for more information. Any and all sponsorship amounts would be greatly appreciated and will go a long way in helping our school achieve our goal. Please reach out to our RAD Co-Chairs, Terrina Reiber (720) 224-1301 terrina@deaystudio.
Kindie Letter Formation Training Event
Kindergarten teachers would like to start having volunteers in the classroom to help with letter formation in the mornings. Ms. Bethany and Ms. Lauren will be hosting training sessions if you are interested. We are opening this volunteer opportunity up to ALL Renaissance parents who have completed the basic Volunteer Training.
In this training, we will go over how, what, and why we do letter formation in a particular way. Please feel free to bring your child along as the perfect partner to practice during the training. We ask that you attend a training before you sign up to volunteer, and please do not bring younger siblings to your volunteer shift.
TRAINING
*9/13 Wednesday 1:15-1:45
*9/15 Friday 8:00-8:30
Once you've been trained, please check Track It Forward to sign up for the 2 volunteer slots per classroom, from 8:30-9am on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, starting Monday September 18th!
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Spirit Night at Smart Cow
Join us for the first spirit night of the school year on Tuesday, August 29 at Smart Cow!
Lost & Found
It’s that time again….. please check lost and found on Friday 8/18 for any items you may be missing.
NEW! Community Involvement:
Kids who sing? Now that’s got ring! Celebrating our 5th year anniversary. Come sing with us!
Director and professional singer, Lorena Perry, sings with Opera Colorado, Ars Nova Singers, The Original Dickens Carolers, and has directed multiple children’s shows including 3 recent shows for Audience of One Christian children’s theater. She has taught music and dance for 20+ years.
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